Meles Zenawi’s surrogates were in Dallas today to address a hand picked audience from the Ethiopian Diaspora. The local Woyane/EPDRF operatives have been preparing for this meeting in “secret” for some time now. Tipped by insiders and similar event participants in Houston, a coalition of all opposition supporters in Dallas faced the Woyane cadres and challenges them why a government which claims to be open and democratic plans and holds meetings in secret with a selected few. The reasons for this are of course obvious.
If Woyane wants a discourse with Ethiopians, it should do it at home. We know at home our people are made captive audiences of its propaganda barrage by fiat and control. If not dialogue what is it that then Meles and Co. are looking for from Diaspora? They have seen in the last two years how the Ethiopian Diaspora has become an effective voice for its people. They want to silence that voice by:
1. Influencing some of the Diaspora members to collaborate with Meles in the name of investment. As a dispenser of all rural/city land, Meles is working hard to buy the loyalty of some of us with a promise of land or property in Ethiopia. To this effect, the participants of meetings with government/embassy officials will be identified first and invited to attend privately through personal mail and/or telephone call. There will be no public announcement of the meeting.
2. The attendees of the meeting will be lectured on the democratic and development virtues of the Meles Zenawi’s regime while they are being video taped for repeated propaganda play and replay on Ethiopian TV. This is supposed to embolden its supporters at home and subdue its opponents.
There is no other agenda or goal in these meetings. Knowing this, the supporters of all oppositions groups in Dallas together with other fellow Ethiopians made a decision to make sure that if a meeting is held that the true voices of the Ethiopian Diaspora is heard. If Meles’s proxies can’t swallow that then they have to be forced to cancel the meeting. This is exactly what is attempted and what aborted from happening on April 24, 2008 in Dallas, TX at the Quality Inn & Suites.
Around 5:00 PM, the demonstrators made their way to the meeting hall at Quality Inn with placards and pictures of victims who were murdered by the Woyanne Agazi forces. In the Hall, there were only 15 people; three of whom were aligned with the demonstrators. Out numbered almost 8 to one, the official organizers called security guards — and later the police — to ask the demonstrators to leave the Hall. The protesters continued with their slogans until the police arrived.
The speakers of the meeting were supposed to be Ato Taye and Ato Muluye from the Woyanne consulates in Los Angeles and Washington DC. When they saw that they have no chance to lecture a captive audience and record a video for propaganda display on Ethiopian TV, the speakers chose not to speak. They asked the police to evict the demonstrators out of the Hall. The police recognized the right of the demonstrating Ethiopians to attend the meeting with their placards as long as it is shown in a peaceful manner. The police had to finally ask everybody, including the embassy officials and the surrogates of Meles in Dallas to leave the hall as tension grew. The attempt of the agents of the butcher of Addis Ababa to silence the Diaspora voice in the name of investment opportunities ended in total fiasco.
Fellow Ethiopians everywhere, take lesson from today’s action in Dallas, Texas: Never allow the agents of the butcher of Addis Ababa to silence us through a promise of a piece of land. Who is he to give us back our own land? To those of us who want to invest in Ethiopia, go home quietly and invest in your family and with your family. Please don’t be used to cover the crime of a brutal regime.
By Obang Metho
The response to the call for an Ethiopian rally for Freedom and Justice on May 15-18, 2008 has been overwhelming! I have heard from Ethiopians in thirteen countries and in over thirty cities within these countries, all voicing their desire to participate. Just to name a few we heard from Tel Aviv to Toronto, from London to Los Angeles, from Addis Ababa to Amsterdam, from Stockholm to Johannesburg and from Zurich to Sydney.
The responses are not from only one political or ethnic group, but are representative of the diversity within the borders of Ethiopia. This shows me that Ethiopians are beginning to understand that a movement for freedom and justice must welcome all to join in creating a new Ethiopia.
This rally will provide an opportunity not only to demonstrate our solidarity with those in Ethiopia who are greatly suffering under the current Meles regime, but it will also be a “Day of Remembrance” for the thousands of Ethiopians who have died or suffered because of human rights abuses and injustice inflicted against us by the EPRDF. It will be a day to call for a halt to the war waged on civilians in the Ogaden and in Somalia. It will be a day to call for the release of political prisoners like Teddy Afro, a beloved Ethiopian musician whose courageous songs struck to the heart of our problems we are facing in our country.
By coming out to rally on May 15-18th, you, the reader, is saying to the EPRDF government and to the world, that our people did not die or suffer in vain and that you will not rest until justice comes to Ethiopia! By taking action, you demonstrate your protest of the betrayal of democracy in our country. We have seen it in the hijacking of the Ethiopian National election of May 2005, in the suppression of any opposition in the local Ethiopian elections of April 2008, in the manipulation of the Constitution, in the violation of human rights and in the total lack of adherence to the rule of law.
This is a rally where everyone hoping for a better Ethiopia is needed. No political affiliation is necessary, but every political affiliation is invited. All Ethiopians who are unhappy with the worsening crisis in Ethiopia, even those who have never before participated in a rally or attended a meeting, should come. Many of those who have participated before have become weary of politics, but this is not about politics. Neither is this rally about one’s ethnicity, one’s region, one’s religion or any other distinguishing characteristics found within the family of Ethiopians. It is a rally for all Ethiopians who want justice, harmony, freedom and peace for all.
This means that this rally is for the average Ethiopian as well as for those in one of the many organized groups like the Kinijit, the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) the Ethiopian National United Front (ENUF), the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), the Afar Liberation Front, Gambella Liberation Front, the Sidamo Liberation Front, the Gasha for Ethiopia, Solidarity Forum of Ethiopia, the Oromo-American Citizens’ Council, the Ogaden Human Rights Committee, the Coalition for H.R. 2003, Ethiopian Canadian Citizens League (ECCL), Tegbar League, the Beneshangul Human Rights Foundation, Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners (SOCEPP)… I have already been in touch with representatives from nearly all of these organizations and they are more than willing to march for freedom and justice, side by side with their fellow Ethiopians.
The task ahead now is for individuals and groups to help organize the efforts in your particular areas; however, I (and others) will be offering some general guidance and coordination of the effort in order to make the task easier and the results more powerful as we all come together to show our desire for a new Ethiopia.
First of all, some of us will be meeting this Friday on April 25, 2008 to set up a means for intercommunication with each other. If you want to be part of this meeting, please email:[email protected], for the teleconference number. We hope to plan for future press releases, teleconferences, radio coverage, Paltalk, email communications, YouTube and phone calls in order to share ideas and enhance the efforts of each group. However, keep in mind that every event will vary in some ways from others because they will reflect the creativity, drive, uniqueness and resourceful of those Ethiopians organizing it.
Secondly, we have included this same email address so that we can help coordinate volunteers by area, linking volunteers to organizers. Simply let us know if you are willing to help in some way and try to describe what you would like to do. If you are not sure, that is okay, just contact us and voice your willingness to help. The time is short and we must organize quickly.
We need people to help obtain necessary permits, to invite the press, to invite special guests, to create slogans, to design T-shirts (if so desired), to make signs, to recruit volunteers, to reach out to other groups and individuals in your area, to organize prayer, to decide on locations, to contribute financially, to organize child care for volunteers or to arrange transportation to the event. There is something for everyone to do.
Various side events or even alternative events may be explored, all of which could also raise awareness of the lack of justice and freedom in Ethiopia. Such events might include a 10K/5K run/walk, dinners, music events, special prayer services in churches, mosques or synagogues and other such events. Funds could be raised for the Movement for a New Ethiopia through selling T-shirts, refreshments or beverages or by holding various events like dinners, auctions, raffles or other such events.
This rally marks the start of the Movement for a New Ethiopia. This is only the beginning. After we march, get ready for more work ahead. It is time to combine our resources and efforts. No freedom will be sustainable until all Ethiopians are free. Say no to ethnic politics and to divisiveness that has been defeating us for years.
The Western donor countries cannot free us and will continue to work with Meles and the EPRDF until there is a second choice that is stronger and better. You, the reader, are that second choice if you and others do their part.
For you, the readers, who are women, do not leave it up to only the men. You are our mothers, the backbone of our society. It is you who are always trying to piece together the remnants of a society, torn apart by corruption, ethnic hatred, division and greed. Stand up for a different kind of Ethiopia. I believe you can help nurture this movement as you nurture your children. These children are our future.
Now, I also want to especially address the youth of Ethiopia. You must become engaged if we are to find a new and better Ethiopia where we can live together rather than fighting each other to survive. Whether that future is bleak or bright can be affected by what you do right now.
I repeat, I am calling on all men, women, young and old to join the family of Ethiopians wanting a new and better Ethiopia by calling or emailing now! Then convince your family and friends to do the same!
Together we are better than separate. Together, the garden of God’s precious children of Ethiopia will then be filled with the dark, light, short, tall, thin and heavy varieties of humankind, the beauty and complexity of which, reflects the greatness of our Almighty Creator. May God guide and help us!
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For more information please contact me by email at: [email protected]
By Yilma Bekele
This expression normally refers to clumsy or reckless people who should not be allowed near expensive and delicate items or to insensitive individuals. That saying came to mind when I read the big headline “Ethiopia severs ties with Qatar’. I know that Qatar is located by the Arabian/Persian Gulf, and that it is miles away from Ethiopia. How or why did we clash with the good people of Qatar?
Qatar has a population of slightly less than a million people and has been ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s. Oil and Gas have made Qatar one of the richest countries in the world. Revenues from these natural resources account for 85% of their export earnings. In 2007 their GDP was $57.69 Billion dollars (Ethiopia has a population of 80 million people and a GDP of $55.07 Billion) Qatar has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world.
Qatar is not resting on it laurels due to the high income it enjoys from its resources. A far-sighted move by the government Qatar can be illustrated by its investment in developing a ‘knowledge economy’. In 2004 Qatar established the Qatar Science & Technology Park to attract and serve technology-based companies and entrepreneurs, from overseas and from within Qatar. Qatar also established Education City, which consists of international colleges.
There are over 800,000 guest workers in Qatar, 12,000 of them are Ethiopians. Our brothers and sisters are mainly employed in the domestic service industry, with a small minority working in white-collar jobs.
According to the TPLF government their conflict with Qatar began because of a TV news program presented by the famous Al-jazeera network and something about financing Eritrea. As you know there is no such thing as free press in Ethiopia. The regime decides what is news and how the news should be presented. Al-jazeera, by presenting the news from Ogaden and Somalia without going thru the normal censorship process somehow offended the sensibilities of our esteemed leaders. The Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying that “Qatar’s attempts to destabilize the sub-region and is hostile towards Ethiopia itself”.
I have no idea why Qatar will do that. It is sitting in the middle of a powder keg in the Gulf and no one has accused it of being such a force. It is enjoying a good neighborly relationship with all parties. It is not at war with anyone. Its celebrated financial center is giving a world-class service and is growing at a great pace.
You cannot say that about the accuser. The TPLF regime in Ethiopia is celebrating its 2nd year of invasion of a neighboring sovereign state without provocation, over six years of no war no peace situation with a former province which has resulted in the death of thousands of citizens and is facing civil disturbance in most of the country. Is this the case of the pot calling the kettle black?
What is also odd about the announcement is the reaction of the unfortunate Ethiopian guest workers living in Qatar. Apparently they were as surprised as the rest of the Ethiopian people not to mention the government of Qatar by this reckless act. We are not even going to ask if the Ethiopian Parliament was told about it. No we do not want to go there. It is too important to trust the people’s representatives about such an issue. They can watch the evening news and find out. Of course it will be approved unanimously after the customary two minutes discussion.
Now regarding the consequences of this moronic decision. The twelve thousand Ethiopians are economic migrants. They left in search of work to be able to help their family back home. If there were jobs available in Ethiopia, they wouldn’t get caught dead in Qatar. But they are there. If we assume about 80 percent love their family and send about $200 a month back home, it will be a net income of $1.9 million or Eth.$19 million Bir. Thus when our fearless leaders go around accusing a country of being a negative force, with no regard to the welfare of their own citizens that are bearing so much hardship, abuse and disrespect it makes you sick. It is not just the twelve thousand compatriots but the more than thirty to forty thousand back home who depend on their largesse. But on the other hand when you consider the minority regime has made habit of tormenting its own citizens at will, this just another chapter in this sordid story.
My suggestion to the Qatar government is to ask the IMF and World Bank to justify the loans and grants going to this police state and also publish all audited findings regarding previous dealings. Qatr as the contributing member to these international organizations can do that. That ism what I call most destabilizing to the TPLF.
To come back to my earlier impression, thus letting the TPLF government loose in the International arena is the same as letting a bull in a china shop. You don’t know what is coming next.
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The writer can be reached at [email protected]
